


The New Kid

by MercyGrim96



Series: Hospital Kids [1]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: ...but he kinda sucks at it, Bro is trying to be a better brother, Dave is lil science nerd hehehe, Grumpy Karkat, M/M, Sick Karkat, adorable dave, cute stuff, fuck eridan he's a little piece of shit in this story, geeky john, i swear this ends happy, more tags and characters and relationships will be added as I post more
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-29
Updated: 2016-03-22
Packaged: 2018-05-10 03:45:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 20,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5569759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MercyGrim96/pseuds/MercyGrim96
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Karkat Vantas has been sick all his life, never been able to breath properly without the help of machines or an oxygen tank and tubes on his face. He is now old enough to leave the hospital's pediatrics wing and live at home. The first thing that he does is beg his brother Kankri to let him got to normal school. He just wanted to make some normal friends, he had no idea he would meet someone like Dave Strider.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Here have this, I made it so there could be a fic out there with a sick character that didn't die at the end, spoiler alert Karkat is not gonna die! Enjoy my lovely readers, btw I might add some Bro/John in here, I have no idea, I'll just see where the writing takes me. :)

Be Karkat Vantas =⇒

Your name is Karkat and this is your first day of school, no not kindergarten, you’re way too old for that, this is your first day of high school; your first day of going to a real school. 

As you get out of your brother's car his boyfriend Cronus, who drove you, wishes you luck and leaves. You turn around and look in front of you at the tall building that many kids your age are currently making their way into. 

As you start your walk towards it your breathing tube accidentally unhooks itself from behind one of your ears, reminding you just why this is the first real day of school for you.

You’ve spent most of your life in the hospital due to weak lungs, it really sucks not being able to breath without this stupid oxygen tank that you drag around with you. You can’t remember a time were you’ve been able to breath by yourself because there hasn’t been one. There have always been tubes and machines that have been there, helping you. 

The hospital was famous for its pediatrics wing, a place where all of the sick kids lived; it’s where you met your best friend Terezi, a crazy girl who happened to be blind. She swore that she could taste and smell colours, the doctors said it was impossible, but that didn’t stop her from licking the chalk in the playroom, she said red was her favourite. Terezi’s parents decided to homeschool her for her high school years, you really wish they would change their minds; you really wish she was here so you didn’t feel so alone.

You sigh to yourself as you walk up to the front doors of the school, taking the handicap ramp so you don't have to carry your tank, and you open the front door.  
Everyone stares.

This is a little strange to you because no one in the hospital gave a second thought to the tubes on your face, in fact there were at least three other kids there with tubes and oxygen tanks just like yours. 

You avert your eyes from the onlookers and make your way to the main office. Thank the gods there is a sign that points you in the right direction so you don’t have to ask anyone. You maneuver your way through the hallway to your destination grumbling when someone bumps into your tank and apologizes profusely, an awkward looking boy with bucked teeth and geek glasses. 

“Sorry,” he blurts out and frantically waves his hands in front of him.

You glare at him, “It’s fine.”  
He rubs the back of his neck awkwardly, and then his face lights up, “Oh you must be the new kid,” he smiles at you enthusiastically, “My name’s John!” He holds out his hand for you, you begrudgingly shake it.

“Karkat,” you reply. “Now if you’ll excuse me I have to go to the office to get my schedule.” You walk past him and go for the door, but he gets it first and opens it for you.

“I’m going to the office too! You first,” he steps aside and lets you go through.

You grumble under your breath as you walk in and up to the front desk. There’s a nicely dressed guy sitting there and he smiles at you, you can tell that unlike John's smile his is fake, he probably hates his job. 

“Hello, you must be Mr. Vantas, the principal is waiting to talk with you, oh John good you’re here too you can both go in,” the man, who didn’t even introduce himself looks back down at his computer screen and waves them off.

“Mr. Swain can be a bit half-hearted,” John whispers to you as you both walk up to the principal’s door and knock. A cheerful, familiar voice calls you in.

You immediately smile when you see the woman standing in front of the desk. You walk foreword and give her a hug, “Porrim!” 

She smiles and hugs back, “Hey Karkat how’ve you been, how are the lungs treating you these days?”

“Crappy as ever,” you answer her as you take in a sharp breath, she was hugging too hard, even a gentle hug was sometimes too much for you.

Porrim senses your discomfort and lets go, “My apologies Karkat, sometimes I forget my own strength,” she laughs. You laugh back.

Porrim is one of your most favourite people in the world, the closes thing you have to a mother, your mother left you when you were born, your big brother Kankri took you in and though he’s nice, when he’s not being the most annoying piece of shit in the whole world, Porrim is very motherly towards you. She is your brother’s best friend so she’s around a lot and she used to visit you all the time in the hospital and bring you cookies. You love her cookies, they’re the best.

Speaking of cookies, you spot a batch on her desk and make a beeline for them, she chuckles, “I knew you’d probably want some of them. So when Kankri told me you were coming today I just had to make some.” Porrim ruffles your hair as you sit down and start snacking away happily.

John looks at you in bewilderment, probably surprised that you’re so chummy with the principal. 

Porrim glances at John and remembers that he’s here, “Oh yes John! I almost forgot! Karkat, this is John, he’s the Class Vice President, and he does all the new student greetings around here.”

“Oh we met in the hallway already Principal Maryam,” John said. 

“Well John, Karkat here is a very close family friend and this is his first time in real school so I would love it if you could show him around. Here’s his schedule,” She hands John a piece of paper. “And you can have a cookie too John, as a thank you!” She hands him a cookie. “Now take extra good care of Karkat please, have a good day boys.”

She shoos you and John out of her office and waves goodbye. Great now you’re stuck with the nerdy boy. At least you have cookies.

“That’s so cool that you know the principal,” John exclaims as you both walk out of the office. 

“Well it’s the only reason I’m allowed to go here, if you haven’t noticed I’m not the average teenager,” you say as you gesture to the tubes on your face.

John awkwardly grins; you have taken notice that everything about this kid is awkward. “I did notice that you have those tubes and that tank, the principal told me that you were different, I just thought you didn’t want anyone to make a fuss about it.”

Damn that was very considerate of him you think to yourself, maybe for an annoying nerd he isn't so bad. 

John chats with you the whole time he shows you around and points out all of your classrooms, he even asks you stupid questions like ‘What’s it like to have those tubes on your face’, and, ‘Why are your troll horns so nubby, all the other trolls have pointier ones.’ You would have punched him for the latter, but you’re not the best when it comes to too much exertion, it makes it hard to catch your breath.

When John is finished showing you around the first period of the day is over so he takes you to your second period class, English. Perfect, you absolutely love books and writing. When you were at the hospital you spent most of your free time reading romance novels and classic literature. You honestly had a lot of free time when you weren’t hanging out with your drug addict roommate or your crazy blind best friend, both of whom you miss very much at this moment. 

“Well, here we are,” John points at the door, “Class should have just started so you should hurry up, I’m sure the teacher would like to greet you and introduce you to the class. Mr. Slick is a really cool guy so I’m sure you’re going to love his class! Oh by the way if you have any questions you can find me at lunch, we also have last period together, so I guess I’ll see you then.” John waves goodbye as you thank him and go for the door.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dave meets the new kid Karkat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! This is a Dave chapter, I think that how things are going every other chapter will be a Dave chapter because I really like the split. Also I'm posting two chapter this time! But don't get used to it haha it's just because I was super inspired today :P (Also because this chapter is pretty short but don't expect that for every chapter, most of them will be longer).

Be Dave Strider =⇒ 

Your name is Dave Strider and you are currently sitting in the back row of your second period English class. Mr. Slick has informed everyone that a new student will be coming today, so he decides to start you on a new book so the new kid doesn’t feel confused. That’s fine with you because the last book you were reading was the most boring book ever. The Grapes of Wrath, it had a whole chapter about a freaking turtle crossing the road. 

Just as the person in front of you passes your book to you the classroom door opens and in walks who you presume to be the new kid, a short troll boy with an… oxygen tank? Now this is interesting. 

Mr. Slick clears his throat to get the classes attention, “Everyone, this is Karkat Vantas and he will be joining us starting today. Mr. Vantas here’s your book, we just started this one today so you won’t be behind. There’s a seat right there in the back next to Mr. Strider,” the teacher says as he points to the seat next to you.

The troll kid, Karkat, thanks Mr. Slick, takes his book, and makes his way to the seat next to yours. His oxygen tank sits beside him as a takes his spot and adjusts the tube on his face. It’s a good thing you wear shades or he would notice you staring at him. He glances over at you and frowns, ok maybe he did notice you, quick Strider play it cool.

“Hey I’m Strider, Dave Strider.” Wow Dave very original, what a James Bond move, you think to yourself.

He snorts in response, and then takes a sharp breath. You figure that he probably has something wrong with his lungs; you wonder if it’s terminal or something and that if going to school was his last wish. That would be a pretty lame last wish.

“I’m Karkat,” he replies as he turns to his desk and picks up the book. He just opens it and starts reading it as Mr. Slick is talking.

“Um Karkat, you know you supposed to play attention when the teacher talks right?”

“Hmm, oh um is that how it works?” He looks confused. Weird.

“Yeah that’s how it’s always been, that’s how school works….”

“Mr. Strider and Mr. Vantas please pay attention,” the teacher calls out to you and Karkat so you both face the front of the room and Mr. Slick talks more about the book you have to read.

After class you turn to Karkat, who is gathering his things up and grabbing the handle for his tank. “Hey Karkat, you kind of act like you’ve never been to school before…Have you?”

“No I have not, unless you count the mediocre education that the pediatrics wing at the hospital has, because that’s where I’ve spent most of my life, in a hospital,” he answers you with a grumpy voice.

“Oh, well that sucks,” you say back lamely. 

“Yeah, now if you will excuse me I’m off to go to stupid gym class and remind them that I can’t be in gym class because for some fucking reason the idiot who made my schedule forgot that I’m sick.” He huffs as he stands up and starts walking away.

“Wait,” you call after him and get up real quick, you things already stacked up in your arm. “I have gym class right now I can walk you, you probably don’t even know where it is.”

“Whatever, you can walk with me I don’t care, but I do know where it is. Some kid with bucked teeth and geeky glasses, his name was John I think, showed me around the school.”

“Oh yeah, John, he’s my best friend, really good guy,” you say as you follow him out of the room. You engage in small banter as you both walk to the gym. You laugh on the inside as Karkat yells at the flustered gym teacher for being on the class list when he obviously cannot play. You watch as the troll boy sits on the bleachers and grumpily watches everyone else play the game of the day, badminton. You walk Karkat to the cafeteria after gym for lunch and you both sit with John who enthusiastically asks the guy about his day and Karkat rants back at him. 

You are now very interested in this new kid and his grumpy exterior, also the fact that he’s already on the last page of the book you were given in class and you just got it today.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So third chapter, and I just wanna say thank you for everyone who likes this fic and gives it kudos and comments! Don't be afraid to leave me comments about spelling errors because sometimes I miss things considering I have no beta readers, so I really appreciate the extra input. Anyways, enjoy the chapter!

Be Karkat Again =⇒

Again? When were you never yourself? Well whatever, if you must know you’re sitting at the lunch table right now with Dave and John and their friends Rose and Jade, John laughs sickeningly loudly when Jade cracks a terrible joke and all Rose does is stare at you then at Dave.

Your phone suddenly buzzes, reminding you that you have to head to the nurses office. This was your deal with Kankri, he let you experience normal school and you go to the nurse everyday towards the end of lunch so she could check on you and make sure you are fine.

You have no idea why Kankri is being so overly cautious, it’s not like you're going to die in less than a school day, but whatever get’s you the chance to go to normal school and make some normal friends is ok with you.

“I have to go to the nurses office,” you say as you stand up to take your tray up to the washer.

“Do you know where it is,” Dave asks you before you leave.

“Yeah I showed him Dave, don’t worry about it,” John answers for you.

“Oh okay then.” Dave slumps back in his seat and you swear you saw a tick of disappointment on his face, but it was gone in an instant. You look to everyone else and see that Rose is visibly smirking, what a weird girl. Well all to their own you think as you leave.

It didn’t take very long in the nurse’s office, she just checks your breathing and the levels on your tank and sends you on your way with an approving smile. You give her your best smile back, which is more of a half frown and take your leave. Of course the second that you leave you find none other than Dave fucking Strider waiting for you outside the door.

“Are you stalking me now or something,” you ask him bitterly as you walk past him. He follows you.

“No, I was just wondering what you thought of the book?”

“What?” You stop and look at him in confusion.

“Well I noticed that you finished reading it at the lunch table, or you were pretty close at least. Very impressive.”

You laugh, “Finished it? No way, I’ve already read that book at least three times, I was just reading the ending again for kicks.”

If you could see Dave’s eyes you’re sure they would look shocked, “Wow really? That’s hella cool, they must have a kickass school in that hospital.”

“Yeah right, that place sucks. There’s just one room and they put all the kids in there, no matter what age you are. Then they mostly teach the younger kids, us older kids, there were only three or four of us at a time, had one teacher that taught us basically nothing. She gave us lots of free time though, and in that free time I chose to read,” You sigh, “Honestly I got a better education there when I was five then I did when I was 13.”

“That’s kind of stupid.”

You frown at him, “Not really, when you think about it the place is for children, so obviously a lot of the kids there are terminally ill and at young ages. My friends and I, the older kids, we didn’t have terminal illnesses, so it was logical for them to focus most of their time on making those extremely sick children have a good time there with whatever amount of time they have left.”

“Oh…” Now Dave is speechless again. You really can’t figure this guy out, he tries so hard to be cool but he fails pretty badly at it. You also wonder why no one else has noticed it before, except for maybe that Rose girl, she seems pretty smart to you. “So um, what class do you have next?”

“Fucking math, I hate math with a passion,” you grumble as you start walking again, Dave follows.

“I have science its in the same hallway, mind if I walk with you?”

You shrug in response and he takes that as a yes so on you both walk.

After math class is over you don’t see Dave again in the hallway and that’s ok with you because it’s time for you to head home. Kankri said that Cronus would be waiting outside for you the second the last bell rang and that you were to come right home. As you make your way to the front door you run into Rose.

“Oh hello Karkat,” she greets you with a smile, and for once you can’t tell if its fake or not. Rose is a hard person to read, you decide.

“Hey,” you greet her back.

“I have noticed something of interest Karkat, and I would love to share it with you, I also think you will find it interesting.”

“Um ok? But you better hurry the fuck up, someone is waiting for me outside and I can’t stay for long.”

“Of course, it will only take a minute,” she pulls you to the side of the hallway, “I’m a very observant person Karkat, and I’m especially observant when it comes to Dave. My cousin is a bit of an awkward idiot if you haven’t already noticed,” You snicker at that comment, “And sometimes he doesn’t know how to act around people, especially someone new. I do so hope that you can try to get along with him, I think it would be very beneficial for you both if the two of you spent more time together.”

“I do agree with you on the awkward idiot part, and he’s pretty fuckin lame trying to be cool when he’s so clearly not being himself, it makes me think that there might be something wrong with his think pan. If he wants to hangout with me I could care less it’s his choice, now if you will excuse me I really have to be getting home now.” You say goodbye and walk past her.

When you get in the passengers seat of the car Cronus greets you with one of his signature grins, “How was your first day,” he asks you with his terrible greaser accent.

“It was fine,” you say back.

“Didya make any new friends?” He starts up the car and pulls out of the parking lot.

“I guess? All of these kids are kind of weird; it’s nothing like the hospital. There’s this nerdy boy with dorky glasses and a girl who makes dumb jokes. Then there’s this total psychoanalytical smart girl, and her trying-too-hard-to-be-cool-and-failing-at-it cousin. Now that guy is piece of work, he wears these fucking stupid as hell shades in the school. Who the fuck wears sunglasses indoors?”

Cronus laughs, “It sounds to me that you had a great time! I’m sure Kankri will be glad to hear it; he’s been worried all day about you ya know? I visited him at work today, he forgot his lunch at home poor guy, and he’s been going crazy with worry, he was pacin’ in his office ya know? And he was doin’ his whole ‘talk way to much’ thing.”

“He really shouldn’t worry so much about me,” you grumble as you slouch into your seat and cross your arms.

“Well good news for you that I’m sure he’ll worry less once he finds out you made some friends. Speakin’ of friends your little hospital buddy called today and said you need ta come over and tell her how school was. Also that she must sniff you…. Whatever that means. What me to drive you over there? I gotta go pick up some groceries and get Kankri from work.”

You perk up at the thought of seeing Terezi, you really missed her today. “Yes,” you reply with less gruff in your tone.

Cronus drops you off in Terezi’s driveway and she immediately comes running outside and collides with you, sniffing your hair and then licking your cheek.

“Karkat~,” she cackles at you, “You smell like unfamiliar people, and you taste like I’ve always dreamed a high school would taste like, come in and tell me everything!”

Before you can even say goodbye to Cronus, Terezi is dragging you inside of her house and the whole time you wonder how the hell this blind girl doesn’t trip on anything.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyy heres another chapter, kinda short I know, but to make up for it I'm posting two chapters!

Be Dave Strider =⇒

Hell yeah why wouldn’t you want to be Dave Strider; you’re the coolest guy you know. For some reason you really wish you could have met up with Karkat after your science class, but the advanced anthropology class you’re taking is very demanding and you end up staying after a lot, although honestly half the time its because you get caught up in an interesting conversation with your teacher. Dead things just really interest you in general, dead things, rapping, mixing, and swords.

You say goodbye to the teacher and leave the room. The hallways are pretty much deserted, except for your cousin Rose. She’s leaning against your locker and when she sees you coming she smiles at you, you know that smile, it’s an evil smile.

“Hey Rose, Sup,” you ask her in your ever neutral voice.

“I believe that you know what is up David,” she answers.

“Rose, I really don’t feel like playing this game with you, lets skip past the psychoanalysis bullshit and get to the point shall we?”

“Fine then if that’s what you wish. I’ve noticed the way you act around our new acquaintance and I find it quite intriguing.”

“I don’t think I know what you’re talking about Rose,” you interject her before she can continue.

She gives you a coy smile in return, “Oh but I believe that you do. And honestly I encourage this behaviour entirely. He’s good for you, he’s different. And he sees right through your façade.”

You cross your arms in annoyance, “Rose I don’t like him or anything if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“Well David, you’re very quick to deny, but I guess I’ll take your word… for now. But I really do think you would benefit from spending more time with Karkat.” She leaves it at that and waves goodbye to you as she ascends down the hallway.

You guess that sure maybe you are a bit curious about the new kid, he seems so interesting and mysterious and you really do want to know more about him. You continue to ponder this on your walk home.

~~

When you make it to your top floor apartment you open the door and of course the first thing that greets you is a pile of smuppets on the floor. You kick them to the side wall and make your way to the kitchen.

“Davey, don’t be all mean to the smuppets, they were only chillin’ at the door, waitin’ for ya to come home.” Your Bro joins you in the kitchen clad in only a pair of boxers, his fingerless gloves, his stupid hat, and his pointy anime shades.

“Bro didya get me any A.J. today?”

“Yeah it’s in the fridge,” he says as he walks past you and grabs a beer from the counter.

“There was a new kid in school today,” you tell him as you pour a glass of apple juice. Man you love apple juice so fucking much.

“Hmmm cool.”

“Yeah, he’s like sick or something, got these tubes on his face and totes around an oxygen tank. And he’s a pretty grumpy guy. And he’s like super smart with books, we got a new book in class and he says he’s already read it at least three times.”

“Dave it sounds ta me like yer interested in this new kid,” Bro says and then takes a swig of his beer.

“Well yeah I guess, I mean he is the new kid, it’s only natural for me to wonder about him.”

“Sure, whatever ya say,” Bro shrugs and then leaves the kitchen in favour of going to the couch and watching some MLP.

You finish you’re A.J. and grab your coat, “Hey Bro I’m gonna go for a walk.”

He waves at you from the couch so you take that as a he doesn’t care if you do, and you take off.  
~~

You find yourself taking a relaxing walk through the suburban neighbourhood near your apartment complex, John lives in this area with his dad, but you really aren’t in the mood to visit them, you just want some quite time.

Your house can be a bit… intense. More like Bro can be a bit intense. You’re not saying he’s an absolutely terrible caretaker, but he’s a pretty crappy one. It’s a miracle that he remembered the apple juice for the week.

You end up walking all the way to the best park in town, the one across from the hospital. You sit yourself down on a swing and pull out your phone, time for some music.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is onna my favs, I really started to explore character development with Dave and Karkat, and I've been thinking about making a small side story for Terezi because I really wanna get into detail about her and Karkat's hospital life and I have a lot of ideas! Tell me what ya'll think of that in the comments plz!

Be Karkat =⇒

“Sooooooo Karkles, what’s real school like,” Terezi asks with strong curiosity in her voice. Poor girl, your best friend practically begged her parents to let her go to school but instead they forced their precious angel to stay home and be homeschooled by her older sister Latula.

The Pyrope family is strictly business for the most part so you aren’t surprised when you found that Terezi’s parents are not home. It kind of angers you that they don’t spend any time with her, they just make Latula take care of her; and Latula has her own problems. Their parents are always at work, always. Terezi tells you that sometimes they don’t even come home for a few days. For all that they claim to care about family you’d think they would actually spend some time with their daughters, at least let their blind daughter go to high school if they weren’t going to homeschool her themselves.

The house feels kind of empty to you, unlike your own home. The walls are white, the furniture is white, there are odd pictures of art on the walls, you really don’t like this place, but Terezi is always happy when you visit.

Unlike you and your drug addict roommate Terezi didn’t really have to stay at the hospital because her illness is more of a disability, but her parents are very wealthy and she told them that she liked it there so they made sure that she could stay, up to the point of donating money and recourses to the hospital. There were no complaints on your part because Terezi is your best friend and her being their made life more tolerable.

“It’s okay I guess, I mean it’s school so its not supposed to be fun or anything, and you won’t believe how many of those fucking idiots stare at me like they’ve never seen a troll boy with an oxygen tank; it’s fucking stupid as hell Terezi,” you grumble to her in your famous cranky voice, “Oh and you won’t believe this awkward kid named John, I think there’s something wrong with his think pan because he had the gale to ask me why my horns weren’t as pointy as other troll horns.”

“Awwwww Karkles, your horns are fineeeee~,” before you can stop her she reaches over and licks one. You screech at her and push her away.

“What the actual fuck Terezi, I thought you were done doing that shit!”

She cackles, “I couldn’t help myself Karkat, I swear to you they taste like candy corn. Anyways, school sounds interesting, and they probably have never seen a troll boy with an oxygen tank, it makes me wonder how they would react to a blind troll girl with a dragonhead walking stick.” She taps her pride and joy walking stick on the ground; it’s the coolest walking stick you have ever seen in your life. Terezi has an obsession with dragons, and oddly enough, justice. Even though she can’t see them she can feel them and sniff them and taste them. Her walking stick is her most favourite possession… And you swear that one time you saw her pull out a makeshift knife from the top of it but you’ve never asked her if what you saw was real or not.

“Besides this John kid did you meet anyone interesting?”

“Well there were John’s friends, Rose, Jade, and Dave. They all seem nice, but I’m pretty sure that Dave has a fried think pan or something because he acts so cool but I’m not a wriggler Terezi, I can tell that its all a front. Also he is such a douche I can already tell, he wears shades inside Terezi, sunglasses inside! Like what the fuck is up with that.” You throw your arms up in exasperation, but then remember that the gesture is lost to her so you put them down quickly in embarrassment.

You and Terezi chat for a bit longer until your phone vibrates, it’s Cronus, he says that Kankri got held up at work and they wouldn’t be able to pick you up from Terezi’s so could you please walk home. You can’t believe that Kankri agreed to let you walk home but you don’t argue because it gives you more time to yourself. You hug Terezi goodbye and start your walk home.

Your house and Terezi’s house are actually really close together, the hospital is two blocks in between them so you decide to take the easy way through the park. No one should be there to bother you so you hum to yourself as you walk. Then you hear music, so someone is here, and their music taste is questionable at best.

As chance has it you make your way to the playground area and see none other than Dave Strider sitting on one of the swings, jamming out to his music. Of course that’s Dave’s style of music, very techno meets record scratching, something that you would probably hear a DJ play in a Club, at least that’s how it works in your romcom movies that you secretly adore to death.

“Hey Strider, what brings you here?” you walk up and take the swing next to him, might as well not waste your little freedom from your overbearing brother and take it while you have it, even if it means hanging out with this douche. You notice that he’s still wearing sunglasses; the sun isn’t even out anymore.

“Oh, sup Karkat,” he greets you and turns off his music, thank the gods, “I was just taking a walk and thought I’d chill here for a minute or two, what about you?”

“I’m on my way home from a friend’s house,” you reply. “I might as well take my sweet time getting home, this is the most freedom I’ve had in a long time.” You sigh as you kick the dirt beneath you. “I used to come here a lot when I was little.”

“That make’s sense, your hospital is right over there isn’t it,” he points at the big building on the other side of the road.

“Yeah, that window up there on the second floor was the window in my room,” you point at it, “I used to stare outside all day at the other kids who played on this playground, always wishing that I could run around like them and play tag or something.”

“But you said you used to come here all the time.”

You sigh and look down at the ground, “I guess I meant I used to wish I could come here. I asked the nurses all the time why I couldn’t go outside and play with the other kids; they looked like they were having so much fun. The nurses would look at me with sad smiles and tell me that I couldn’t run around like them because it would hurt my chest. I always hated those nurses, why the fuck couldn’t they just be serious with me? I wasn’t that young I could have taken it…”

“It seems kind of stupid to put your room right in the view of the playground then, why didn’t they just move it? Honestly why would they even build a playground across from a hospital it seems unfair to all the sick kids who can’t use it.”

“You make a good point, but they gave me that room because I asked for it, it was the best room for reading because there’s a huge window seat in there. Reading was my escape from that piece of shit place full of retarded nurses who pretended to be nice and kind when I could so obviously tell that they hated their jobs because they hated being around us depressing children.”

“Your life kind of majorly sucked…” Dave said as he looked down at his phone, “It makes me feel like shit for thinking that my life sucks.”

You snicker, “Everyone’s life sucks, that’s how the worlds works. But why would you say that your life sucks?”

“Well I don’t have any parents, just my brother, kind of like you, only my brother doesn’t really care as much about my wellbeing as yours does.”

“Are you fucking kidding me, I would absolutely love that. My brother is way too overbearing, it’s like he thinks I’m going to break in half if he leaves me alone for more than five minutes.”

“Honestly that ain’t nothing on what my brother has done. Don’t get me wrong here, I love him, but over the past few years I’ve realized that he’s kind of abusive. I mean he’s taken care of me since I was born, our parents ditched us after they had me, and I think maybe his abusiveness might have something to do with resentment, like maybe he blames me for them leaving?” You look over and see Dave tapping his thumb on the cover of his phone. “Anyways he’s always been there for me in his own way, though it’s not really the way that I want him to be there, he makes me strife him every time I have a problem, its like: “Hey Bro how are babies made”, or, “Hey Bro I’m having these strange urges what should I do”, or, “Hey Bro I think I like guys and girls, is that weird”, yeah my brother would make me go up on the roof and strife it our with some swords. The downside, he never helped me or answered my questions so I had to Google them, the upside I’m a fantastic fighter and I hate to brag but I totally have a six-pack.”

“Okay, now I feel shitty for wanting your life, just a little bit shitty though, because you have no idea just how bad an overbearing brother can be. Kankri has an issue with everything I do that doesn’t involve someone else being there, i.e. him, to watch me. The only reason I’m allowed to go to normal school is because the Principal is my brother’s best friend. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to be a normal kid, these tubes are fucking annoying, and I can’t even run without almost hacking up a lung.” You have to stop yourself from saying anything else before you start to cry.

You’ve never been this open with anyone before in your entire life besides Gamzee and Terezi. With Gamzee it was easy because he’s the most mellow guy you have ever known, it makes sense considering he’s missing way too many brain cells.

Dave apparently thought the same thing as you because he turns to look at you and says, “It’s really weird that I’m telling you all my life problems, I don’t think I’ve ever told anyone how I really feel about my brother, not even John and I’ve known John since I was five. It’s weird, but somehow you’re easy to talk to-“

Before Dave can continue with what he’s saying your phone buzzes. It’s Kankri of course and he wants to know where the hell you are and you better come home now or else!

“Shit, I have to go!” You stand up and grab your tank, “My brother is basically screaming for me to come back now through text. See ya later or something I guess Strider, and it was like cool to talk with you and stuff.”

Before he can say something you take off. Good thing your house isn’t too far from here, you walk as fast as you can, which isn’t very fast to be honest, but you still make it home in about five minutes. Of course Kankri is sitting on the porch swing waiting for you, and he does not look happy, fuck your life.

Cronus tries to lighten the mood, but your brother is not happy at all and bad fish puns are not going to fix that.

“Karkat do you know what time it is right now? Nine o’clock! It is way too late at night for someone like you to be out and about all alone! Do you have any idea how-“

“Wait just a fucking second, two things. One, what the hell do you mean by someone like me? And second I’ll have you know that I was not alone, I happened to run into a new… acquaintance, friend now I guess, that I met at school and we started talking and I just lost track of time. There’s no fucking crime in me making friends and having a life Kankri, do you know how nice it was to talk to someone new for once, someone who wasn’t just around me because I was sick, and didn’t just listen to me because I was sick! He told me his problems and I told him mine and it was the most amazing thing in the world, I had no idea that there was a person out there who I could talk to like that. Now if you’ll excuse me I’m going to my room because I’m tired.”

You open the front door, and slam it behind you, then lean against it. You never talk to Kankri like that and you have no idea what brought that downpour of emotions out.

Before you go to your room you listen in on the conversation that Cronus has started up with Kankri, “Hey Chief everything’s cool, he doesn’t hate ya he’s just blowin’ off some steam. In fact I think that school has been good to him, I think he finally found someone Kan.”

As you walk to your room you mull over the words that Cronus had said, what does he mean by that?


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wellll here we go, I had to throw some drama into this haha, and Eridan is perf for that he's liek the king of drama! Well enjoy, and next chapter is gonna be longer I swear, and a lot more shit is gonna happen, I just had to build up the plot a little bit, also I had to bring Sollux in on this!

Be Dave Strider =⇒

Bro made you strife with him the second you got home last night. He just took one good look at you and said to meet him on the roof in ten. You know that strifing is the way that Bro conveys emotions and gives advice, so you’re still thinking about it as you walk to school, John is walking next to you, blathering on about some new movie and something about Nic Cage. You are too busy trying to figure out why Bro felt the need to strife with you to listen to what he has to say.

Your thought process on the subject stops when you see Karkat and he’s talking to a fairly tall troll boy with weird glasses in front of the school. You think he looks familiar. Karkat definitely seems to know him, they are arguing, but the other boy is laughing too so you assume that it’s not a real argument. You decide to approach them.

“Hey Karkat, sup,” you say as you walk up to the short troll.

“Hello Strider,” he grumbles back.

The taller troll turns to face you, “Hey KK who’th thith guy,” the troll asks, he has a prominent lisp in his voice.

“You should know stupid, he goes to your school with you after all,” Karkat answers him in a grumpy tone.

“No fair, you know I’m barely ever here I don’t really know anyone.”

“That’s so pathetic Sollux, of course you’re barely even here you probably spend all of your time huddled up in your room writing code and making stupid fucking viruses.”

“Pfff~ you’re jutht jealouth that you don’t have the natural talent that I do,” the tall guy, Sollux, says with pride.

“Oh haha, your only talent is to stay awake to the point that you’re barely alive, let’s not forget what got you landed in the hospital when you were younger. I’m surprised your brother hasn’t taken your laptop away. Does he still let you have the beehive in your room?” Beehive in his room?

“Your name sounds familiar,” you say to Sollux, “Hey aren’t you the guy who passed out in the middle of dodge ball in the third grade?”

“Yeth, the one and only, Thollux Captor.”

“Wow dude, I didn’t know you knew this guy Karkat, when did you meet? I thought you never went to normal school.”

“Well when this stupid fucking wriggler was younger he was in the hospital for a few weeks due to his bad sleeping habits, and he would have to come back every once and a while whenever he slipped up from time to time. Honestly I’m not surprised that you’ve never really met him.”

“Yeah come to think of it I don’t remember you being here any time after that incident in the third grade Sollux, how’d you get away with that?”

“Well it’th obviouth, I hacked the school recordth to mark mythelf prethent for every day that I didn’t want to come to thchool. Thith place hath terrible internet thecurity, it wath childth play.”

“That sounds exactly like something you would do you insufferable asshole,” Karkat exclaims in exasperation. “So what the hell brings you here after all this time?”

“TZ told me that you were going here now, and thhe wanted me to thpy on you for her.”

“I’m gonna fucking kill her! Who the hell does she think she is, sending a spy to watch me? What exactly is it that she’s hoping to find out!”

“That’th a thecret I cannot divulge.”

“Well that’s just fucking great, whatever I don’t care do what you want, I’m going to class now,” Karkat stomps off.

“He’th a tiny ball of angry,” Sollux remarks with a laugh. “I never did catch your name by the way.”

“Oh my name is Dave Strider,” you answer him and you take note of his eyebrows raising just slightly for a second in surprise before they go back to normal.

“Nice to make your acquaintance Dave.” Sollux replies, “Now if you’ll excuthe me I mutht follow KK and make thure that he doethn’t kill himthelf by accident, or TZ will have my head.” Before you can say anything back Sollux is gone.

Man did Karkat make some weird friends in the hospital, you think to yourself as you enter the school when the first warning bell rings.

~~

Second period English rolls around and usually you would be sad because English isn’t your favourite subject, but now that you have Karkat in your class oddly enough you’re excited to go. When you walk in the room the first thing you see is Eridan, that stupid troll with the cape, talking to Karkat and Karkat does not look happy.

“Are we having an issue here guys,” you ask as you walk up to them.

Eridan sneers at you, “No wwe don’t have any problems,” he says and walks away quickly.

You look at Karkat, who seems extremely pissed off, “Karkat are you sure that nothing’s wrong?”

“Mind your own business Strider, but if you must know I fucking hate that prick, he’s the worst pompous asshole to ever walk the planet and I hope he dies a very painful death afraid and alone.”

“Um, ok then, I guess I can mind my own business…” You take your seat and wait for class to start in silence.

~~

After English is over it’s time for gym, Karkat is technically in your class but he doesn’t have to go to gym because of his condition so he goes to the library.

As it so happens, Sollux is in your gym class, go figure. The teacher is very surprised to see him there but he acts like it’s just a normal day. You have an idea.

“Hey Sollux,” you call out to the troll and approach him, it’s break time in gym.

“Hello DV,” you ignore the weird nickname.

“I was wondering, do you know Eridan Ampora, weirdo troll who wears that stupid purple cape?”

Sollux looks angered at your question, “Yeth I know who that piece of thit ith. I fucking hate hith gutth.”

“Well I just saw him talking to Karkat and Karkat did not look very happy. Is there like some sort of history between them?”

“That fucking- ughhhh- yeah KK absolutely hateth that high-blood piece of thit. He thinkth he’th all that jutht becauthe hith parentth have money. KK’th brother ith dating ED’th brother and ED doethn’t like that.”

“Should I be concerned about Eridan?”

“Nah he’th and idiot, KK knowth how to deal with him.”

“Ok thanks Sollux,” you say as you’re about to walk away.

“DV if you don’t mind me athking, why are you tho curiouth?”

“Oh um no reason I guess, I just feel oddly protective of the grumpy little guy.”

Sollux laughs, “Don’t ever tell him that.”

The gym teacher calls you back to your activities, and as you continue class you mull over what Sollux had said and try to figure out just why you care so much about a guy you just met yesterday. When you get home that day Bro makes you strife with him the second you walk through the door.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now things are gonna really start to get interesting, I'm adding some Eridan drama and some Rose being super annoying in her psychoanalytical way, but also helpful, but ya know still annoying. I'm really starting to build the plot, and it's gonna be a slow build with Dave and Karkat because I don't just wanna throw them into a relationship, I want to explore further character development and let them get to know each other in depth. 
> 
> (Also I'm like super into Dave being a science nerd so deal with it hehehe, and yes I did google the health benefits of bread crust.)

Be Karkat ===>

You really fucking hate that stupid piece of shit Eridan Ampora, why the hell does he have to go here! Why couldn't his parents just send him off to some sort of fancy rich kids prep school? Despite him being here you won't let it ruin your fun of going to school. 

On your way to the library you remember the day that you met that stupid prick, when you were still in the hospital Cronus and Porrim came to visit you and Cronus brought his little brother Eridan. That asshole was a snobby little brat and making fun of you for being sick, saying that of course a mutant blood like yourself would be sick. Terezi hit him in the shin with her walking stick. You laugh to yourself as you remember that part.

The library is now your new favourite place in the whole world, it has all the trashy romance books your heart desires! Of course you would never tell a living soul about your love for trashy romance novels, that is a well kept secret. You say hello to the nice Librarian and stealthy make your way to the fiction section where you know your favourite authors books are waiting for you, you were not expecting Rose Lolande to also be there. You groan internally as you try to sneak away, but she's too fast for you.

"Hello Karkat," she says to you in a friendly voice, you suspect that there is a reason for her to be so polite to you, like she wants something out of you.

"Rose," you acknowledge her.

"I was wondering, how are you and David are getting along?"

"Fine, just fine," you answer back.

"That's lovely Karkat, simply lovely. You see I think you're really good for my cousin, he seems... different, in a good way, since you came here. I know it seems weird that this only occurred in the span of two days but I'm a very perceptive person and I can see that difference quite clearly. Now Dave on the other hand not so much. Remember what I said about it being good for the two of you to spend more time together?" You nod, she gives you a creepy smile in return. "Well I think you have been spending time with him. did you and he hangout at all outside of school yesterday by any chance?"

You really don't want to tell Lolande about the playground confessions that you shared with Dave last night, but you have a feeling that she's going to find out whether you tell her or not so you might as well get it over with. "If you're so curious, yes we happened to run into each other last night and chat for a few minutes, but how did you know?"

She ignores your question in favour of asking you another one, "And what was the nature of your conversation?"

"We talked about home life stuff I guess? He talked about his brother and I told him about mine?"

"Interesting," she stays quiet for a few seconds to ponder what you had said and then adds, "Dave is not the type of person to divulge information about his family life, I usually have to pry it out of him one way or another, its intriguing that he's told you so easily." 

"Yeah, well that guy is like one big fucking enigma to me. Now what I'm really interested in knowing is how you just happen to know that Dave and I had a weird feelings jam last night," you say as you cross your arms and look at her pointedly.

She giggles, "Why Karkat I had no idea you and David had a 'feelings jam', I just wanted to see if you would say something to me. Have a nice time with your romance novels," she waves goodbye to you as she walks off. You have now deemed her a manipulative spawn of the humans metaphorical Satan.

You spend the rest of your free library time in a beanbag chair with a really good book, this school even has troll romance novels, go figure.  

~~

When it's time for lunch you're about halfway through your book so you decide to ask the nice Librarian if you can take it out. She smiles at you and tells you that the one you picked is a very good one and you ask her how she read it because she's a human. She tells you that she found troll language and culture fascinating and learned the language in her free time. You thank her for the book and make your way to lunch.

"Hey Karkat!" John is the first one to greet you with a cheerful voice, how the hell is this guy always cheerful. You grumble a hello to him and sit down.

Kankri has packed your lunch for you today so you know it's going to be a bunch of healthy bullshit, Cronus packs better lunches, he cuts the crust off your sandwiches but Kankri leaves it on because he says it healthier that way; you end up pealing off the crusts every time regardless of what your brother says.

"Dude, the crust is like the best part," Dave comments on your sandwich as he takes the seat next you.

"Hell no the crust is nasty and it shouldn't exist, that's just what parents tell their wrigglers so they'll be tricked into a life of eating mediocre tasting flakes of bread that no one loves, well I'm not falling for it."

"Karkat, the crust is good for you because it's full of antioxidants and cool shit like that, it's good for cancer preventing and other health stuff." You look at Dave like the stupid cool-kid you just met yesterday was taken over by an alien last night and the real Dave is inside of him screaming for someone to let him out. Dave sees your confusion and then quickly adds, "Or ya know at least that's what the health teacher says or whatever," and then he picks up his sandwich and pretends like he didn't just give you a whole lesson on the health benefits of bread crust. 

You end up eating the crusts and you swear you see Dave smile just a little but you blink and the smile is gone.

~~

Your last class of the day is with John, it's math, have you mentioned that you hate math with a burning passion? Well you do. 

You walk down the hall with John in tow, he had walked with you to the nurse's office after lunch for no reason in particular that you could figure out until now when he starts talking to you.

"So um, about what happened at lunch with Dave, I bet you were surprised that he knew so much about something as random as bread," John says and laughs awkwardly. Seriously why the hell is this kid so fucking awkward?

"Yeah it was really weird, what is he some sort of random fact genius?"

"Well Dave is kind of a science nerd and he knows a lot of random facts like that because he researches them for fun. If you ever saw his browser history you would understand, you'd expect that for a cool guy like him it would be porn or nude pics, but nope its science journals and random articles about research projects. Dave would probably never tell you this so don't tell him I said it, but he really wants to be an anthropologist, dead things are like his favourite topic; he's even in the advanced science anthropology class that this school offers because his Bro begged them to have it," John sighs," I don't know if he told you about his brother and his home life, but his Bro is a pretty good guy when he tries, he's just not very good at trying because he's never had to raise a kid before and it was just thrust upon him and all that."

You look at John in astonishment, from what Dave had told you about his brother you would have never thought he would do something so nice fore Dave.

John adds really quickly, "Oh by the way could you like not mention to Dave that his Bro was the one who got the class? He doesn't want Dave to know."

"Sure I guess, I mean it's really none of my business," you shrug.

"I just thought I would let you know so you don't think that Dave is some sort of weirdo," John smiles and opens the door to your math class. Once inside you two take your seats and wait quietly for the lesson to begin. Once it does you find your mind wandering to what John had said about Dave's career wish; so there really was more to him than the cool-kid facade, and his brother wasn't as bad as Dave thought he was. You end up thinking about this for almost the whole class and retain absolutely no information about whatever the hell a Pythagorean Therm is, like you care anyways it's probably some convoluted equation that you will never use in your actual life and they only make children learn it to torture their think pans to the point of exploding into a million pieces, that's what all math is to you.

~~

You end up walking to the front doors by yourself because John stayed after in math class for homework help, apparently he's just as bad at math as you are, maybe ever worse considering he failed his last test pretty badly.

You breath a sigh of relief, no Rose to corner you today, and walk peacefully to the doors. That piece is gone when you look for Cronus's car and see none other than Eridan fucking Ampora talking to his brother. You wouldn't really call it talking though, talking to someone usually inquires having a civil conversation, they are not having one of those. 

"Cronus wwhy the hell is  _he_ here!" You hear Eridan yell and see him point at you, to which you kindly flip him off back. It's only the polite thing to do. 

"Hey fish boy you got a problem with me you insufferable piece of shit," you ask in an angry voice as you approach said fish boy.

He sneers back at you, "Wwhy yes I do, I always have a problem with poverty-level, lowwlife mutant bloods who think they can exist in the same place as me." He crosses his arms and tries to intimidate you with his stare, it's not working. 

"Why don't you just go die in a ditch somewhere, that's what pricks like you deserve you spoiled piece of shit brat. Just take you and your stupid weird cape fetish and get the fuck out of here, I don't what to deal with you, your brother clearly doesn't want to deal with you, and don't come back until you can pull your head out from up your waste chute and have a civil conversation with either of us; because I'm tired of your insane bullshit about being better than me just because you have fancy purple blood. If you haven't noticed that really doesn't matter anymore, it may have mattered to your aristocratic asshole of a father when he was a kid, but it sure as hell doesn't have a place in modern society. So why don't you go away until you can understand what that means because you obviously have no idea at all right now."

 Without another word to Eridan you pick up your oxygen tank and get in the passengers seat of the car.

As Cronus is driving out of the parking lot he says, "Wow kiddo, ya know sometimes you remind me of your brother, he probably would have given a much longer speech back there without the swearin' of course." He laughs and you grumble.

"Speaking of Kankri, is he still mad at me," you ask in a curious tone.

"No not really, I was able to calm him down just a little bit, he shouldn't bother you about last night any more. And since I brought it up, what were ya doin' outside last night on your way home that took ya so long? I know you said you ran into a new friend, but I was just wonderin' what do ya talk about with 'em?"

You think very carefully before you answer, "Just school stuff," you decide on and then turn yourself so you can stare out the window.

"Hmmm just school stuff..." He sounds suspicious when he says it, but he doesn't press you on the subject. That's one thing you like about Cronus, he's not as pushy as your brother is, it's a nice balance to have him around. He and your brother are really good for each other, Cronus is the chill to your brother's craziness, and in turn Kankri is the emotional type of person that Cronus really needs in his life to tell all of his problems to. You hope that someday you can find a person that balances you out, but you've always thought that no such person existed, that you're just too damaged. You continue to have a mini existential crisis on the thought as you stare outside the car window.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man I feel soooo bad for making the Dave chapters so short, but to make up for it there will me some interesting stuff going down in the next chapter! Also I've been working on that Terezi sidefic and its going great so far! It's gonna have Vriska in it hehehe. 
> 
> One more thing, I reallly wanna know what you guys think of me putting a little Bro/John in here because I'm really considering it. Pls tell me in the comments, cheers!

Be Dave =⇒

“Oh David,” Rose calls out to you as you’re about to leave the school building, you groan inwardly and wait for her to walk up to you.

“Yes Rose?”

“I have some insightful information that I thought I would share with you since I so conveniently ran into you.” You know she was waiting for you to get out of science, and she knows that you know.

“Oh and what might that be?”

She smiles, it’s that evil smile you know so well, the smile that means she’s about to use some psychoanalytical bullshit on you, fuck your life.

“Well I happen to have heard that you spent some time with the new student, Karkat, last night. I was just wondering what happened.”

You sigh, damn she must have gotten to Karkat first, you’ll have to teach him how to handle her behaviour on a later date. “Yes Rose I did spend a few minutes talking to him, so what? To people can’t spend some time just talking, like isn't that what life is sometimes? Isn’t that what we’re doing right now? Just what are you trying to imply Rose? That there was some-“

“Dave, you’re rambling again,” She cuts you off. Fuck, were you? Well she’s got you now. “Should I take that as a, you had a very nice conversation about your life with him for no apparent reason other than the fact that he seemed like someone whom you could talk to, even though you barely know him?”

Damn this evil hell-beast, how does she know everything? You decide not to answer her question because what’s the point in trying to deny it, at this point you’re screwed.

“I shall take your silence as a yes.” She is now wearing her most evil grin that looks just like a Cheshire cat grin you swear it does. “Well I think that’s splendid! Dave I really do enjoy having Karkat around, and I think you enjoy it too, maybe even a bit more then me, hmmm?” She’s now giving you that look, the all-knowing-I’m-totally-right look, just completely fuck your life right now.

“Rose, I have no idea what you’re talking about.” You try to deny it.

“Oh Dave it’s quite alright I think this is a really good thing for the both of you. But please do be careful Dave, you and Karkat are both very fragile people, don’t scare him away before you get the chance to really get to know him!” She leans in closer so no one else who may be lurking in the hallway can hear, “I think it would be best for you to just be yourself, you know drop the cool-kid façade that you’re failing at pulling in front of him and be the real you.” She leaves before you can say anything else.

~~

You spend your whole walk home trying to figure out what she meant by that, and when you get home you know your Bro will be waiting for you before you even see him leaning against the wall when you open the door.

“Hey there lil’ man, how was your day,” he asks you.

“It was fine Bro,” you answer as you make a move for the couch. Bro follows you, damnit can’t you get a single brake today?

“So I got a question for ya,” Bro says as he takes a seat next to you.

You turn to face him, “And what might that be?”

“Well I heard from onna your friends that you got a new kid in school, name’s Karkat I think? Anyways they say you’ve been chillin’ with this guy for the past few days and y’all have seem ta become real close friends.”

“Is there a point to this Bro?” You're guessing that Rose somehow told him, great just what you need.

He sighs,“Is there something you wanna tell me ‘bout this guy Davey? Are we gonna haveta have a talk, ya know… the talk?”

If you weren’t a Strider you would be visibly cringing and gagging right now, “Bro! What the fuck, no! Just no, no, no, no.” You shake you head and look away from him to hide what could possibly be a blush on your face. “I just met the guy Bro what would make you think I want to bang him let alone that I like him or something!”

“Dave,” he says in a serious tone, wow there’s a lot of emotion going on tonight, “Sometimes there’s no rhyme or reason to these things, sometimes someone just comes along and they make your heart go-“

“Bro I swear if you say some anime bullshit right now this conversation is over.”

“Alright, alright,” he says in defeat, “What I’m trying to say is that sometimes you just meet someone and you can’t explain it but they turn something on inside of you that you didn’t know was ever there, your mind starts to doubt itself, you start feelin’ all weird and you don’t know what’s happening. Next thing you know you’re letting down your guard and in a Striders case dropping the cool vibe and letting out some emotions.”

“Is there any point at all to this?”

“Hold your horses I’m getting’ there. I just wanna let you know that it's cool to drop your guard sometimes if you think it’s worth it.”

“What the fuck have you done with the real Bro?” This is all strange and foreign to you, since when was your Bro an actual brother to you? He's never given you advice before that didn't come in the form of a sword waving in your face.

He rubs the back of his neck in…embarrassment maybe? “Well I just what ya to know that I’m good for some things other than strifing out your feelings or whatever. Speaking of strifing we need to go do that right now, meet me on the roof in ten.” He flashsteps out of the room before anything else can be said.

What the hell just happened? Are you going crazy or did you really just have a moment with your Bro, the man famous for never showing a lick of emotion. Is the world ending?

~~

This daily strifing went on for the rest of the week and into the weekend. Hanging out with Karkat also became a regular thing for you, you find his company to be oddly comforting and he seems to fit in well with your friends. Rose still gives you those looks of hers, but she doesn’t try to intervene again and you’re thankful for that because you have a lot to think about.

You’ve been mulling over what Bro had said to you and you’ve also been finding yourself staring at Karkat a lot, you look away the second he looks at you, but your eyes always find him when you have the chance. You’re trying to see of something inside of you has changed like Bro said, but you just can’t tell right now.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So now we're really starting to get into things, I went to the next week pretty fast because I really wanna start to get into the beginnings of a relationship between these two cuties. It always kind of bothers me when people write fics and have the main characters profess their love in like the second chapter, I really wanna give them a good build up and it's just really fun to write this in my free time! 
> 
> I hope yall like this chapter cuz I had fun writing it hehe. (p.s there might be some Bro/John making an appearance in the next chapter, I'll see where the words take me!)

Be Karkat ===>

This past week has been really great for you, you've made some new friends who genuinely seem to like you and they don't dote on you because of your condition. For once you're really feeling happy, there are just two things that have been bugging you. Eridan Ampora basically lives to try and ruin your life, even after you told him off a few days ago he still will not leave you alone, you swear the guy would murder you if he could. He 'accidentally' pulled your breathing tube off your face one day and you would have hacked up a lung if Sollux hadn't been there to help you.

The second thing that's been on your mind pretty much constantly is none other than Dave Strider. That insufferable asshole has been following you around like a lost little puppy dog. Thank the gods the the only time he wasn't around was when the incident had happened with Ampora because you're pretty sure that Dave would have punched that prick in the face, not that you're complaining about that possibility, but you're not about to get Dave in trouble with Porrim, she can get scary when she's angry. 

It's your second week of school now, wow you can't believe that you lasted this long without Kankri having a heart-attack over one small thing and making you come home. For being in a place of learning this really is kind of fun, the hospital was never very fun because most of the kids there were either sick or dying so it was always hard to make friends. The adults weren't any better, you remember the nurses and how they always tried to mask their depression, even Terezi could tell they were depressed and she's blind! At least here you can have a normal day, well as normal as any day for someone like you can get.

Mondays really suck, you've never actually realized this fact until today when you wake up and you don't want to leave your bed, but Kankri comes in to get you up anyways. He always checks on you every morning, its a new habit of his, it annoys you to no end.

This new sleep schedule is so foreign to you because when you were in the hospital you could sleep in until ten or eleven if you wanted to. Most of the kids needed lots of sleep so you all had to have at least 8 to 9 hours because the doctors always say that sleeping is one of the best medicines. School for you in the hospital never started until noon, and sometimes if you didn't feel good you could stay in your room and a nurse would bring you your work, you never really over-utilized this opportunity because your friends always went, but some days you would have to stay in your room because you would just feel too weak to do anything. Right now you would give anything to have that opportunity to stay in your bed for the day back.

Mondays are now officially the bane of your small existence on this earth you decide, as you take a sip of the troll equivalent of coffee while sitting at the kitchen island. Cronus is making you breakfast, you insist that you can do menial, mundane tasks on your own, but of course Kankri dotes on you and in turn makes Cronus dote on you too.

"Why the frown on your face Karkat," Cronus asks you as he flips the eggs in the frying pan.

You sigh, "I never knew how terrible Mondays were." 

Cronus laughs, "Well you're in for a lot more of these days, and honestly it don't get any better." He places a plate of eggs and toast in front of you, "Now eat up we gotta get goin' pretty soon, you don't wanna be late." He then goes off to get his coat and the car keys.

You devour the food in less than a minute, Cronus is a really good cook, no one would expect it from his strange outer appearance, but it's true, he makes the best eggs. You're kind of glad that they cook for you, you honestly don't know how to cook and the only time you ever tried you almost lit the house on fire, needless to say Kankri and Cronus have been cooking for you ever since.

You put your plate in the sink and then make your way to the garage, time for another day of school.

~~

As you get out of the car you swing your oxygen tank onto your shoulder, Kankri had bought a mini backpack type thing for it over the weekend because you told him that people kept bumping into it and it made him paranoid that someone would break it. You're not complaining because this is easier for you to carry around.

"Yo Vantas, sup?" You hear Dave ask you as he walks up next you on your way into the building.

"Walking into the school building just like all the rest of these unfortunate souls Dave," you retort back. 

"Well someones Crabby this morning, get it 'Crabby'," he says as he lightly elbows you in the side.

You groan, "Yes Strider I understand your terrible attempt at a pun derivative from a horrid nickname you gave me last week."

"Oh come on, Karcrab is a great nickname, I can think of tons of nicknames for you in fact, there's Karkitty, Kit-kat, Karkles, Karcrab-"

"Please stop," you say and you're sure that there is a slight candy red blush on your cheeks and you really hope that Dave doesn't notice. "You're worse than my best friend Terezi, she loves coming up with stupid nicknames for me." You swear that you see Dave grin, but it's barely there. As you two walk into the school he tosses a few more stupid nicknames at you and you return them with a grumpy tone and a few choice swear words picked fresh from your angry think pan. 

~~

When gym class swings around you make your way to the library only to be told by the nice librarian that you have to go to gym today because its one of the health class days, every second Monday of every month is like that. So now you find yourself sitting in between Dave and Sollux on the bleachers as the creepy gym teacher drones on about embarrassing human mating rituals and weird human reproductive things, stuff you have no interest in knowing about. Dave does not seem to care either even though he is a human, at least he doesn't care until the teacher starts talking about trolls.

"I can see we have a pretty nice mix of troll and human students in this classroom and by state laws I'm required to teach you about trolls as well as humans." The teacher goes on to talk about the trolls anatomy and what pailing is. You look around the room at the students and notice that some humans look uncomfortable, why on earth would they be uncomfortable? You then dare to take a glance at Dave and he is visibly blushing and you think he might be looking at you so you raise an eyebrow in question and he turns his head in the other direction to check his phone behind the back of another student. You also avert you gaze in favour of having a small conversation with Sollux for the rest of the class.

~~

Thank the gods that that weird nightmare of a class is over, you think to yourself as you, Sollux and Dave all make your way to lunch. You take note of how awkward Dave is acting, he isn't making stupid jokes about that dumb health lesson, or rambling about random things. That's weird, maybe you should ask him why later?

Lunch goes by just like any other and towards the end of it you and John leave for the nurses office, this is now your routine since John goes to the same class as you afterwards. You take this opportunity to ask John about Dave's awkwardness.

"So um, did you notice that Dave was acting weirder than usual at lunch today?"

"Hmmmm now that you mention it he was uncharacteristically quiet, and he kept staring at you. I don't know if you noticed it, but he was. After years of hanging out with Dave I'm pretty good at noticing where he's looking even when he's wearing those shades."

"Does he ever take those shades off," you ask in curiosity.

"Nope, not since the day I got them for him. And before that he used to wear one of his brothers old pairs, come to think of it I've actually never seen his eyes before." 

"That's fucking weird," you comment, "And about lunch, are you sure he was staring at me?"

"Positive," John says with a nod.

"He was doing the same thing in health class today, and he was like.... blushing... I don't think I've ever seem him blush before, but I've only known him for like a week."

John looks at you in astonishment, "Wow Karkat, I don't think Dave has ever blushed before either, he's very centered in his emotions, learned it from his brother. He always says that a Strider prides themselves on never showing a lick of emotion. What were you guys talking about in health anyways?"

"Well first the teacher talked a bit about human reproduction, which I didn't really care about, then he talked about trolls and our anatomy, and a bit about pailing, which if you didn't know its like sex for you humans I guess?"

"Oh really~~ Well that's really interesting Karkat, did you ever consider that maybe Dave got embarrassed about the troll stuff because he was thinking about you?"

"What! No, fuck no John. What the fuck! Strider doesn't think about me like that, we barely know each other," you screech at John and feel a blush on your face.

John laughs, "Well that's what it sounds like to me Karkat."

"But that's impossible Egbert, I just met him last week, we don't even know each other that well. People can't have feeling for other people in that short amount of time, can they? Do humans work like that?"

"Sure they can Karkat, it happens to people all the time. Some will tell you that it's love at first sight, but honestly I don't believe in that stuff, I think that people develop feelings for each other through time, but sometimes that amount of time can be small."

"Thanks Egbert, you're surprisingly insightful for an idiot."

"Um you're welcome I guess, I'm not really sure if that was a compliment Karkat."

"That's as close to a compliment as you'll get from me John so live with it." 

You mull over what John has said to you as the nurse gives you your daily check up, what could it all mean?

~~

At the end of the day you receive a text from Cronus who apologizes profusely that he can't come pick you up and can you walk home? Apparently he and Kankri are going out on a date. You tell him to have fun and come home as late as they want. They really do deserve a date night, they haven't had one in a long time.

When you start walking down the street outside of the school you hear someone call your name so you stop and turn around, it's Dave. 


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now we are really gonna build up the relationship, I think they might become a couple in the next chapter!!!! EPPPP I can't wait to write it, they're gonna be the cutest couple ever!! :D I've been waiting for a while to write this chapter, it's been on my mind since I started writing this fic, also I'm just gonna tell you right now, there will be hints of Bro/John in this fic, no matter what I don't I can't escape onna my favourite ships! I won't shove a whole lotta Bro/John in here cuz I know some people don't like that ship but the reason that I'm introducing it into the fic is because I have a great idea for it.
> 
> Anyways enjoy reading! Also my update times will probably be less and less until they only happen once a week now because I just started college back up this week (I know, kill me now), but I will not let this fic die so don't worry if I'm not updating for like a week, it just means I had too much homework. Thanks for sticking with the fanfic guys I really appreciate all the love it gets! Y'all are awesome.

Be Dave ===>

You didn’t expect to run into Karkat on your day off of after school science. Every Monday your archeology teacher makes the class leave right after the bell because it’s designated date night with his wife and he has to go home and get ready. Here you are now though standing next to the short, grumpy troll.

Ok Strider act as cool as you can, as cool as a cucumber, wait are cucumbers cool? Well they are an interesting vegetable, wait they are a vegetable right, or are they a fruit, no definitely vegetable they are so not a-

“Um hello, earth to Strider, what the fuck do you want?” Karkat waves his hand in front of your face and it snaps you out of your daze.

“Didn’t expect ta see you walking home,” you comment as you work on regaining your composure, wow Dave real smooth move getting lost in your thoughts like that he probably thinks you’re super cool now.

“Yeah well I have to walk home today because my brother and his boyfriend are going on a date.”

“That blows, now you have to chill all alone at your house.”

“It’s fine with me, they really deserve a night out, they haven’t had one in a really long time, they’ve been to busy taking care of me,” he looks at the ground in guilt and for some reason you want to comfort him, where is this coming from, you wonder. “And to top it off I’m a terrible cook so it’s probably a TV dinner for me tonight, I’ll just cross my fingers that I don’t somehow make the microwave explode, but knowing my terrible fucking luck it probably will. So I guess I’ll see you tomorrow or whatever,” He turns to walk away but before he can leave you grab his arm, he turns to face you in surprise.

“Dave what the fuck!”

“Do you uh…maybe, oh I don’t know, wanna come over to my house,” you ask him before you can chicken out.

“And why would I want that,” he answers your question with another one and crosses his arms.

“Well I can make you some real substance for starters, TV dinners are not healthy for anyone so that probably means they are double unhealthy for sick people. I may not look it, but I can cook pretty well, my brother doesn’t like to cook so I’ve had to fend for myself since as long as I can remember. So you should totally come over, if you’re cool with a cruddy apartment that is, I can understand if you’d rather go home. But like it’s totally up to you ya know I just-“

“If I say yes will you stop blathering like an idiot?”

“Yes,” you sigh.

You both end up texting your guardians just to make sure that Karkat coming over is ok, you know that Bro will literally give no shits, the only reason you decided to text him was because you didn’t want to bring Karkat into the middle of a weird situation, like Bro watching MLP naked on the couch, he does that a lot. In your text you also ask him to put all the smuppets in the closet so they don’t creep Karkat out.

 ~~

When you and Karkat walk through the door you’re glad to find that the smuppets aren’t scattered everywhere for once. You breathe a sigh of relief and tell Karkat to put his stuff by the door and you do the same.

“Hey Bro we’re home,” you call out; your brother comes out of the kitchen to greet Karkat.

“Hey there lil’ man,” Bro ruffles your hair, what an odd gesture for him, he then turns to Karkat, “And this must be your new friend, I’ve heard a lot about ya from Davey here, the kid won’t shut up about you.”

“Brooo,” you exclaim in slight embarrassment, Karkat snickers.

“Well it’s true,” he says with a shrug, “Anyways, I have a lot of work to do in the back room so y’all can hangout out here, but no going in Dave’s room with the door closed if ya catch my drift.”

“Bro!”

Before you can shoo him he disappears into the back room, probably to run his porn peddling website.

"So first rule of casa de la Strider is: don't open anything in the kitchen because it probably has a sword in it," you tell him as you lead him to the living room. 

He looks at you dumbfound and then his eyes scan over your vast collection of totally ironic DvD's and lights up in excitement. "Wow, for a wriggler you have a nice collection of movies Dave," Karkat says as he goes over to get a better look.

He's just like John! Holy shit like seriously what is up with people and terrible movie taste? At least Karkat doesn't give two fucks about the Nic Cage movies that you have, he seems more interested in the rom-coms. Really? You wouldn't have pegged him for the romantic type.

"My Bro like's to collect random movies that he deems ironic, it's kind of a Strider thing," you say as you take a seat on the couch.

Karkat snorts, and you find it oddly cute... "Really Dave? Irony? That's so childish, well at least I wouldn't be bored if I ever came over here... That is if you'd ever want me to come hangout again," his tone goes from mocking to slightly embarrassed. 

"Dude you're welcome here any time, as long as you don't show up at random. I had to tell my Bro to clean his shit up before you got here, you don't wanna see some of the weird shit my brother is in to, it might take away your innocence; it really scarred John, I think he's like super afraid of my Bro now." 

You watch as Karkat keeps eyeing a particular movie,  _The Proposal_ , "Do you wanna watch it," you ask him.

"Well I mean if you're cool with it. It's one of my favourite movies, don't go around telling people this, but I kind of like rom-coms. When I was in the hospital I used to watch movies all the time on my husktop and I took a particular liking to rom-coms, they made me feel both better and shitty about my life," he tells you as he takes the movie off the shelf.

"What do you mean by both better and shitty?"

"They made me feel better because they were fun to watch, but it was always the constant reminder that I won't find happiness like theirs in the end, I'm just a sick kid who will always be this way. There aren't many people out there who are ok with dealing with someone like me. I mean who in their right mind would be totally cool with having to cater to me when I need it, sometimes I don't always have the best of days believe it or not," He looks down at the movie case, "Fuck why am I telling you all of this, why are you of all people so easy to talk to when I find you so insufferable!"  

"Wait, hold the metaphorical phone here, why do you  think I'm insufferable?"

"What, you think I don't notice that you follow me around like a little barkbeast all day long! Your lookstubs are always on me, and I know you look away the second I look at you, I'm not stupid Dave! You're the most insufferable human that I've ever met, and don't even get me started on your retarded insistence on being the cool-kid when that so obviously isn't you! Why is it that you're so easy to talk to?"

"It must be the Strider charm," you say flatly. Inside your mind is exploding with questions, the first being: how the hell did he see right through you so easily?

"This is what I'm fucking talking about!"

"Whatever do you mean Karkitty?"

"Oh fuck no! Not the names! I will leave if you use the names Dave, I will fucking leave."

You hold up your hands in defeat, "Ok, ok, no names for the rest of the night, I swear."

"Good because I-"

Before he could finish speaking your front door opens and in walks John carrying a few bags of what appears to be various foods.

"Hey guys," he greets you in his ever chipper voice, "I thought I'd bring you some food. I figured that Dave wouldn't have very much handy."

You take the food from him, "Thanks dude, but how did you know that Karkat was here," you ask in curiosity.

"Oh um well, Bro told Roxy, Roxy told Rose and Rose told me, so I just gotta go ask Bro a question about something... Where is he?"

"He's out in the back room, I'd knock before you enter though because he might be working." John leaves without hearing all of what you say, it's his fault if he gets a face full of puppet. Though you find it really weird that Bro told anyone that Karkat was here, and you find it even more weird that John has questions for Bro; what the fuck could your nerdo friend have to ask your big bro?

You put those thoughts at the back of your mind as you take the DvD out of Karkat's hands and put in in the player, you tell him to watch it while you maneuver around your deathtrap of a kitchen to prepare diner. Before you start you ask him if there is anything he can't have to eat and he tells you no so you decide to make pasta because pasta is super easy and doesn't take very long. You make your favourite sauce to go with it, it's a special Strider recipe. Once it's ready the movie is about half over so you take the food into the living room and give him a plate and a glass of water.

"Thanks," he mumbles as he takes the food. You grab him a TV diner tray and set it up for him and do the same for yourself. 

"Welcome," you reply as you dig in to your meal, he does the same.

After a few seconds he comments, "Wow Strider I'm surprised and impressed, you're actually a decent cook for an insufferable asshole."

"I shall take that terrible half-nice comment."

"Those are the only comments that I give, good thing you accept them. I also specialize in insults and angry quips, tell me if you're ever in the market for any, my going rate is a very reasonable price."

"Good to know next time I need someone to put Ampora in his place I'll call you. So what's the deal with you and cape boy anyways, Sollux tells me he's your brother's boyfriend's douchebag little brother."

You hear him sigh, "Yeah Eridan is a little bitch, he's had it out for me ever since I knew him. He hates the fact that his brother likes me more than him I think, he also really hates mutant bloods. He hates the fact that Cronus is in a relationship with my brother and because he can't yell at my brother for it so he bothers me instead. Just the other day he randomly walked past me and pretended to 'accidentally' pull out my breathing tube. I know that he did it on purpose, he's so fucking stupid."

"Wait! He did what," you exclaim in anger. "I will fucking kill that jerk, you could have died!"

"Chill Dave, Sollux was there to help me." He says it like it's nothing.

"Karkat that guy tried to fucking kill you, excuse me for being so concerned about your existence!"

"He didn't fuckin- wait, you care about my existence?" He looks at you with wide eyes.

"Well, um yeah, I mean why wouldn't I? That's what people who know other people do, they like care about their existence and stuff..."

"Oh, uh that's... I um," before he can say anything else his phone goes off. He looks at it, "It's Cronus, he needs to know where you live so he can come pick me up."

"It's not that late, I can walk you home if you want," you offer, trying to hide the hopefulness in your voice.

He looks surprised at your offer, but happy with it, "I'll ask him."

You wait for a minute or two and pick up the dishes while Karkat texts back and forth with Cronus, and to your glee he says yes.

You now find yourself walking down the street with Karkat, apparently his house isn't very far from your own. That's kind of awesome considering you really do want to hangout with him more often, there's just something about him that you can't quite figure out that draws you to him, it makes you want to know everything about him.

You end up walking Karkat straight up to his door and as you turn around to leave after you say goodbye he grabs your arm, spins you around and says "oh fuck it" then next thing you know, you're kissing Karkat Vantas.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! they kissed! I've been waiting for like the entire fic to finally get to this part, I neeeed my davekat. Also everyone welcome Kanaya to the mix because you cant have a good fic without her (there will be some Rose/Kanaya moments now, just warning you, but it will be more of a background thing).
> 
> And I know its taking me forever to update, but I had some stuff going on recently that I had to figure out....

Be Karkat===>

Holy fuck you’re kissing Dave fucking Strider. You're kissing him and it feels like the planets have aligned, and the sparks that all your romance novels had claimed existed in this moment, are going off like fireworks. You swear that they are so big that they’re flying into the sky and making the stars. This must be how stars are made; when two people kiss and sparks fly they make the stars.

It ends as quickly as it started, the front door to your house opens and Kankri is there, Cronus behind him. You and Dave pull away fast.

“So umm, I guess I’ll see you at school tomorrow and stuff,” Dave says as he gives you the Strider equivalent of a wave goodbye and leaves.

You stare at him as he crosses the street and turns at the end of the road, til you can’t see him anymore, then you turn around and face the music that’s waiting for you from your brother.

“Now I see why you wanted to go to this Dave kid’s house so badly Karkat. Is this something I should be concerned about, is he treating you right? How long have been dating? Do we need to have ‘the talk’, I don’t believe I have ever had that talk with you so maybe we should sit down in the living room and discuss this properly. Maybe-“

Cronus cuts him off before he can trail on anymore. “Wait a minute Chief, why don’t ya just calm yourself down. I think you’re takin’ things a step too far. Correct me if I’m wrong Karkat, but I think that was your first kiss and you and that kid ain’t datin’ just yet, but you wanna date ‘im. Am I right?”

You just nod because it’s all you can think of to do, you have a feeling that if you try to talk right now you won’t form words correctly. Cronus was right, that was your first kiss, and fuck yourself for thinking this, but you do want to date Dave. Though you have no idea why.

Cronus smiles, “Well then Kankri, I think we need ta leave all this ta Karkat. We shouldn’t interfere in this unless he asks us. Now I know how much you like talkin’ babe, and I find it very endearin’, but please for the sake of everyone’s sanity, let this be for now. ‘K?”

Kankri sighs deeply, “Fine I suppose I can let this be, for now. Now Karkat on a different note, are you hungry, I’m assuming you didn’t eat much at Dave’s house, there is plenty of leftovers I could warm up for you, or I can cook you whatever you prefer.”

“No I’m fine, I actually did have a real meal. Turns out Dave is kind of an amazing cook, almost as good as you guys. Now if you don’t mind I’m really fuckin tired, I had a long day, and by what just happened I have a felling that tomorrow is gonna be an even longer fucking day. So night.” You walk past them to your room and hear Kankri yell things about trigger warnings as per usual. You get ready for bed and pass out as soon as your head hits the pillow.

 ~~

So it turns out that you forgot you had homework, you blame Dave. Back at the hospital you didn’t really have homework, they didn’t want to burden the kids with extra work so they only taught things in class. Your first week of school you didn’t have any either, but you got it on Friday last week and it’s due today on Tuesday, fortunately its English and you can literally just bullshit your way through it because you already ready the book and the homework was to read the first three chapters and write a small summary on it. Now you find yourself writing quickly at the kitchen counter while you eat your breakfast; today its an omelet, fuck yes you love omelets.

“So Karkat, what’re you gonna do ‘bout your friend Dave today,” Cronus asks you as he’s washing some dishes, he always washes them at the last minute and it drives Kankri insane, which you think is funny.

“Honestly, I have no fucking clue.” You pick at your food with your fork, your writing finished. “I guess I’m going to see how Dave acts and go off of it from there.”

“Well I hope you figure out soon, it’s almost time to go so finish up your food, I’ll go grab the keys.” He leaves you to your own devices.

 ~~

When you get to school you’re both sad and relieved to find that Dave is not waiting for you outside like he does most days. You walk up to the front doors and as soon as you see her you almost scream out in happiness, it’s Kanaya! Kanaya Maryam is a good friend of yours and Porrim’s younger sister who’s been studying abroad for the past year, and now she’s back!

“Kanaya I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you came back! I would have been at your house so fast to give you a-“ Words stop coming out of your mouth as you see that she’s talking to non other than Rose Lalonde. What the fuck! How do they know each other? Kanaya doesn’t even go to this school, Porrim sent her to a fancy private school until she went to Europe to study abroad.

“Oh Karkat! It is so nice to see you again, I would give you a hug but I know you don’t prefer those. How have you been? I was waiting for you to show up and happened to run into this enchanting girl here who says that she knows you.” Kanaya smiles at you and turns her head back to Rose, who for once in all the time that you’ve known her, looks slightly flushed. 

"Yeah I know Rose, hey Rose." She nods a hello at you in return, "So Kanaya, not that I'm not glad that you're here, but why are you here? Weren't you going to some private school?"

"Yes I was, but then my mother gave me a call and informed me that you would be attending this school and I just couldn't help myself, I thought I would give public school a try and come spend some time with you," she says excitedly.

"Well I'm really glad that you decided to come, you can be the buffer for these dumb idiots that I hangout with."

"Oh, so I'm an idiot now?" You turn around to see Dave standing behind you, you immediately find yourself blushing and hate yourself for it.

"Oh- I um, I'm gonna go to class now, ok bye," you say quickly as you grab Kanaya and make a run for it.

~~

You end up showing Kanya around the school, much like John did for you on your first day. You both stop from a minute so you can put your tank on the floor to wheel around, sometimes the strap bothers your shoulder. Kanaya watches your motions, she looks like she's deep in thought.

She finally speaks, "You acted quite weird back there, is there something going on with you and that boy?"

You groan, "Damnnit, first Rose, now you? Why the fuck are you so fucking perceptive!? What the hell Kanaya, seriously!"

She giggles, "Oh Karkat, you like him don't you, that's why you looked so embarrassed back there."

"No, no, no, no, no. Kanaya, no! He's a completely insufferable imbecile! Why would I even like him just a little, I only freaked out because it feels awkward to be around him considering I kissed him last night and I don't know what to do about-" You snap your mouth shut and cover it with you hand before any more blabber comes out of it, Kanaya is just grinning at you, she looks really happy, but in a creepy way.

"Oh Karkat, your first kiss! I'm so happy for you, you have found someone you genuinely like," she exclaims in glee.

"Fuck no Kanaya, did you not just hear me say that I think he's an idiot! He is this ironic piece of shit that thinks he's so fucking cool, but he's not, he's hiding under this terribly constructed facade! I don't know what the hell is wrong with him, he was probably dropped on his head when he was a wriggler and now his think pan is broken or something! How can I possibly like some douchebag like that! You should see his movie collection Kanaya, he has all the good movies but he says they're only there for ironic purposes, who the fuck gets movies for ironic purposes. And to top it off that prick is actually a good fucking cook, like what the-"

"Karkat!" Kanaya is laughing at this point, why is she laughing? "You're rambling angrily again"

"Why the fuck are you laughing Kanaya!"

"Because, it's sounds to me that you like this boy."

"WHAT!"


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys I know it been a long time, but I really needed to adjust to school, don't worry I haven't forgotten about this fic! I really should be doing my hw right now, but I'm writing this instead! Y'all better love me haha!

Be Dave===>

Rose gives you the look. You know it very well, it's her I-know-something-you-don't-know-but-you-really-should-and-you-don't-because-you're-a-dense-idiot look. She's been giving you this look since you were both babies. 

"Rose, I see you giving me that look, mind telling me why?"

She smirks, "Oh dearest cousin, I think you and I both know what I'm thinking about, you just haven't come to terms with it yet."

"Come to terms with what," you ask her quickly, trying to cover up any stutters or emotions.

"You like Karkat," she answers you simply. 

"WHAT! No! I mean just because he kissed me last ni- Fuck!"

Roses smirk grows, "I knew it! But I didn't calculate Karkat making the first move, hmm- I guess he has more guts than you David." With that she walks off into the school building, and you're just standing there, dumbfounded, like an idiot. What the fuck just happened?

It takes you a minute to snap out of it, thankfully John slaps you on the back.

"Heyyyy~ best buddy, whatcha doing standing out here? School's about to start!" He gives you his patented Egbert smile as a greeting.

You're about to say sup to him, but then you remember something from last night, "Hey John, what did you have to talk to Bro about last night?"

John's cheeks tinge a light red and he rubs the back of his neck nervously as he averts his gaze from yours, "Well um, I just.. I um- He just asked me to...uh, oh! He asked me to tell him about whats been up with you!" John finally gets it out, but you're still very suspicious, it took him way too long to come up with that; and he stuttered way too much.

"Well John it's just that I don't ever remember you leaving, I kind of forgot you even came... considering the night I had last night. Did you ever leave?"

"O-of course I did Dave~! Why would I have stayed? That's so stupid of you to think! Gosh Dave don't be so weird!" John makes a ~humph~ sound as he walks away from you. 

Well that was more weird and shitty then what just happened with Rose. Is John fucking your Brother? You cringe just thinking about it, and you can't stop thinking about it as you make your way to your first class.

~~

Your first class was super boring, but you always look forward to second block English. You're one of the first people into the classroom, and Karkat is always the last, he tells you it's because he takes his time when he walks. Apparently all of the teachers give him an extra five minute window to get to class because if his illness.

As Karkat walks in you notice that Eridan, a.k.a. Cape Boy as you like to call him now, is scowling. Fuck him, that guy is such a tool. You watch as his displeased looking eyes follow Karkat, who is walking to the back to take his seat next to you. 

It all happens so fast, one second Karkat is fine, justing walking past everyone in the isle to get to the back, and the next second he's on the floor. You're immediately out of your seat and rushing to him, its like an instinct. 

When you get to him it sounds like he's hacking up his lungs, the breathing tube isn't on his face! You quickly scramble to put it back, but even when you do Karkat is already passed out in your arms. You check to see if he's still breathing, yes he is, thank the goddess; though you check his heartbeat and it's very faint. 

"Mr. Slick, please call 9-1-1," you yell out at him. 

As you cradle Karkat to you while the teacher calls for an ambulance you hear a quiet snicker from the person next to you, Eridan.

You gentle lay Karkat on the ground and look up at him, "You did this you fucking asshole!" You scream at him and punch him in the face.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I left yall with such a big plot twist and cliff hanger I felt soooo bad that I decided to update as soon as I could, I've just been so busy on my break week with school work...I know depressing right? Break weeks are meant for breaks not work. *sigh* Welllllll anyways, heres the next chapter, enjoy!
> 
> (also side note, I think there are only a few more chapters left? Let me know if yall want me to continue on into their adult life in another story or not. Also if any of you didn't know, there is a fic called Hospital Days that I started writing a few weeks ago, its kind of a prequel to this told by terezi from when the sick kids were younger and in the hospital. Just wanted ta let yall know it was out there if you wanted ta read it!)

Be Karkat ===>

You cannot currently be Karkat right now because Karkat is not conscious at the moment.

Ok Fine.... Be Dave ===>

You are Dave Strider and at the moment you find yourself in the back of an ambulance as you look down at an unconscious Karkat, thinking about the crazy train of events that led you to this point.

~~

Mr. Slick doesn't see you punch Eridan Ampora square in the face because he is too busy calling 9-1-1, but the whole class is staring at you now, and Eridan is whimpering on the floor. Good, that's where he fucking belongs.

"Ow," He whines.

"You fucking deserve it you piece of shit! You tripped him didn't you! Fucking admit it, you tripped him and this is all your fault!"

He looks up at you from his fetal position on the floor and grins, the blood from his nose dripping on the floor, "So wwhat? You can't prove anything." Then he fucking laughs, he laughs! That's what guilty people do damnit! 

"Mr. Strider, and Mr. Ampora, please calm down. I have called for emergency services and they'll be here soon. Mr. Strider I assume that you want to stay with Mr. Vantas? You are friends am I correct," Mr. Slick asks you, and you nod. "Well then why don't you worry about your friend and I will take care of Mr. Ampora here." Mr. Slick walks over to you both and pulls Eridan up by the lapels of his cap, "Come now, let's get you to the nurse, and then it is straight to the principals office."

Eridan complains as he is basically dragged out of the room, you watch him go with a grin and then divert all of your attention back to Karkat. You brush his crazy hair away from his face and stroke his cheek. You really hope that he's ok, or you swear on your life that you will murder Eridan fucking Ampora. 

The EMT's show up in the room just a couple of seconds later and you watch as they load him up onto the stretcher and you follow them out. They don't argue with you as you get into the back end of the ambulance, thankfully. 

~~

And that's how you find yourself now, internally freaking out in the back of an ambulance as your sort-of friend lies in front of you, dead to the world, thanks to that stupid piece of shit Ampora. You swear that he did this, he must have tripped Karkat as he was walking.

You keep thinking about this as the ambulance comes to a stop, you have arrived at Blood Mercy Hospital, the place where Karkat spent most of his life. The EMT's take Karkat to the ER where a bunch of doctors and nurses crowd him, one of the nurses walks up to you.

"Are you a member of the family Sir," she asks you a sweet voice with a smile.

"No, I'm a friend from school... is he gonna be ok?" You try to look around the woman and see Karkat, but she moves in your way.

The nurses smile falters just a little as she leads you to what seems to be the waiting room, you would have no idea considering you've never been to a hospital before, Bro says they're for losers.

"Well you're friend is in good hands," she doesn't elaborate on anything though, which worries you, "For now I'd like to ask that you wait here. We have to call his family and notify them that he has arrived in the ER. Once everything settles down, with the permission of the family of course, I'm sure you'll be able to see Karkat."

"Wait, you know him?"

The nurse smiles at you again, "Why of course, I'm a nurse for the pediatrics wing, just doing some overtime in the ER, I remember Karkat from when he was still here. This has happened a few times before so I wouldn't worry about him, that little guy is really tough so he will be just fine."

As the nurse walks away you cross your fingers that she is right.

~~

It takes all of ten minutes for Cronus to come bursting into the waiting room, he spots you first and rushes up to you.

"Dave! You're Karkat's friend right? Do you know what happened to him? I got a call for the nurse and she said their was an accident at school, and I rushed here. Kankri doesn't know yet, and when he finds out he's gonna freak out completely. He probably won't let Karkat come back to school and-"

"Dude, Cronus right? Chill, calm down for a sec and take a deep breath. The nurse told me this has happened before and he's gonna be fine." You try to reassure Cronus, but you're mind is on what he said about Kankri. "Wait now, hold up a second, did you say that Kankri will pull Karkat out of school?"

Cronus calms down just a bit a answers you, "Well yeah? Kan is real protective of Karkat considerin' Karkat is pretty breakable... I wouldn't be surprised if he pulled Karkat right outa school for this."

"But you don't even know how it happened!"

"Where you there? Did you see? Did Karkat trip by accident, or did..."

"It was the kid with the cape, I think Sollux said something about him being your brother?"

"Damn that little asshole," Cronus whispers under his breath. "Well I guess I should be callin Kan-"

"Wait! Can you... can you not," You ask him as he's about to pull out his phone. He looks at you in confusion, "Well it's just... I don't want his brother to overreact and take him away..." you say awkwardly.

"Oh...OH! This right, of course you don't. You're the boy Karkat kissed ain't ya?"

You wish your face wasn't red right now, but it probably is. 

He laughs, "Hey there's no need to get all embarrassed, I can understand why you don't want him ta leave. How bout this, if Karkat is ok and the doc says that everything is fine, well then we can keep this between us for now, how does that sound?"

If you were one for smiling you would be doing it right about now, but instead you just nod, "Sounds like a plan to me."

"Um excuse me Mr. Ampora, Karkat is awake and well," the nurse from earlier comes up and says.

"Oh really, well that's wonderful news," Cronus responds.

"If you would just follow me then I'll take you to him," she motions for Cronus to follow.

You're about to sit back down when Cronus says, "Well kid, ain't ya gonna come along? I'm sure he'd be more happy seenin' you than me."

You don't question his reasoning and follow.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So um, second to last chapter i think? I would have posted more sooner, but college sucks the life outta you... and then I have this whole thing goin on with my friend... and shit's not really well for me right now, I've been super scatterbrained for the past week, forgot to do some homework, forgot I had a test.... yeah it's really not been very good..... I just need a break from life ya know? So I thought, what better time than now to write fanfiction! I hope all of you love this cute chapter, because its gonna get real cute up in here, I need something good to happen right now, so good shit is gonna happen for these two! so enjoy the chapter and cheers for readin and beeing so patient with me for taking forever with this fic!

Be Karkat Vantas ===>

Your name is Karkat and you find yourself laying in a hospital bed with no real recollection of how you got here. You look around the room, you're in your own private room, that's nice you guess. One of the nurses opens the door and in bursts Cronus... and Dave?

"Oh thank the gods you're ok!" Cronus walks up to you and smiles. Dave just awkwardly stands behind him, Cronus senses the awkward tension between the two of you and says, "Ya know what, I think I'm gonna go talk to the doctor for a bit, find out when you get ta leave." He then ascends out of the room so fast that you can't even reply to what he said.

"Can you please tell me why the fuck I'm not at school? The last thing I remember is walking into English class, and then nothing..."

Dave answers, "That dumbass Ampora tripped you as you were walking down the isle of seats to get to your desk." You make a low growling noise and Dave adds, "Don't worry I decked him the the face, got him square in the nose."

"My knight in shinning armor," you reply sarcastically with a swooning noise. "I'm assuming that the tubes fell out of my nose as I was tripped?"

"Yeah, and then I got out of my seat as fast as I could, because you...you weren't moving to get up and I freaked out. I was all like 'Oh shit what the fuck should I do!' when I got to you and you were just lying there, not moving. I-I thought you were dead! It was honestly the most horrifying thing that has ever happened to me in my entire life, because the truth is, I don't know what I would do if I ever lost you Karkat. I would probably ju-"

"Dave," you say to stop his rambling,"...Are you crying?" He is, he's crying, Dave fucking Strider is standing in front of you and he's crying! You reach out and take his hand to pull him down closer to you, you use your other hand, the one that doesn't have a pulse monitor on the index finger, take off his shades, and wipe the tears from under his eyes. After you wipe them Dave makes no move to open his eyes, "Hey fuck ass you can open your eyes now."

Slowly and reluctantly he finally opens them, shock sets in as you are staring into orbs of bright crimson red. "Your eyes..."

"Yeah, I know they suck, they're super weird..." He tries to put away from you, but you keep a firm hold on him.

"No Dave, they aren't weird, they're fuckin perfect," you say. You hear the heart monitor going crazy next to you as you look into his eyes, "Just like me Dave, I'm a mutant, candy red blood, abnormal. Dave I love you're eyes..."

"Damn Karkles, I think I'm falling for you even harder than I originally thought."

Before he can ramble on about something else you kiss him.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally! Last chapter guys! Man this has been a long process, but I think I'm gonna be writin a lot of fanfiction as of right now, I'm really tryin ta get outta my mind because it's not a fun place to be right now. My life just isn't goin great and writing fanfics for all y'all ta read really makes me feel better, every time I get a nice comment or kudos it literally makes my day less shitty! So thanks for being awesome people! 
> 
> Expect me to make an update for the other story in this series very soon because I'm feelin really inspired at the moment! And I think I'm gonna make a spin-off to this series that focuses more on the whole John/Bro thing and the Rose/Kanaya thing that I wanted ta do with this story. There might also be some Vriska/Terezi in the spin-off as well, I don't know, wherever the writing takes me I guess!
> 
> Anyways enough with my shitty rambling about my terrible life, enjoy this lovely ending!

Be Karkat Vantas ===>

 

You are the happiest troll on the planet right now, you think to yourself as you're currently walking down the hallway of the school, hand-in-hand with your new boyfriend of two weeks, 1 day, and 7 hours. Yes you've been counting the hours, like you said, happiest troll alive.

~~

When Dave came to your house in the morning the day after the hospital incident, Cronus had been true to his word, he hadn't told Kankri about what had transpired the day before. You really weren't surprised when you found him at your front door, asking Cronus if he could take you to school. Cronus immediately said yes and before Kankri could come down the stairs and object he rushed you and Dave out of the house. 

You're surprised to find that Dave has a red truck with him and he looks at you and says, "What did you expect, that I was going to let my Queen walk to school? What kind of knight in shinning armor would I be if I did that?" He opened the passengers side door and snickered as you hit him on the shoulder on you way in and mumbled 'fuckass' under your breath.

When you both got to school he jumped out of his seat and parkoured over the hood of the truck to get to your side before you could even unbuckle and proceeded to open the door for you, "After you milady." And then he bowed, that asshole bowed. How the fuck did you end up with a matesprit that was such an ironic asshole. Wait... were you even dating?

"Hey, um... Dave I have a question," you say tentatively.

He looked over at you and raised an eyebrow.

"Are we like, matesprits now?" You asked.

His answer was to pull you close and kiss you right there in the middle of the parking lot. You swear at the time you heard someone whistle, Dave claims that it was just you imagination.

~~

Looking back, that was probably the best day of your shitty life, Dave says it was his best day. 

You see your friends gathered around the lunch table and you both join them, Rose gives you and Dave this snide look, the 'I-knew-this-was-going-to-happen-before-you-did' look, Dave tells you that she has a lot of those looks. 

John scoots a little farther away from Dave as he sits down next to the nerdy boy. You've been meaning to ask Dave what seems to be bothering them both, though you figure it might have something to do with how 'close' John is to Dave's brother... You're pretty sure John is dating Bro because you were at Dave's house over the weekend and John came over to play videogames, at one point he went to the bathroom, or at least said he was going to the bathroom; but when you got up to go get a hoodie from Dave's room because you were kind of cold, and also because you love wearing Dave's clothes, you happened to walk past the bathroom and there was no one in there. 

You tried not to think anything of it as you grabbed a hoodie, but on your way out you noticed that Bro's bedroom door was closed... So you kind of put two and two together. You tried to tell Dave after John left... but you're not sure it went very well. 

As you look at the two now, how awkward they are, and they're best friends they shouldn't be this awkward around each other, you really hope they make up soon because the tension is a little weird, but that's something to be resolved on a later date.

There is a new addition to your table, Kanaya has started to sit with you guys, it makes you very happy because Kanaya and you go way back, she's Porrim's little sister and one of your closes friends, and she just recently came back from studying abroad. You've noticed recently that Rose has taken a liking to her and this pleases you, they seem cute together and you hope they start dating soon, maybe you can play matchmaker for them like Rose did for you and Dave?

"Hey babe, whatdya want for lunch," you hear Dave ask you, it snaps you out of your thought process. Dave has a lot of pet names for you, but you prefer stuff like babe and for the most part he respects that, though he calls you other names when you're alone together...

"Salad sounds good I guess, I'm not really hungry today," you answer him as you fiddle with the tubes on your face. One of them gets loose and before you can put it back he tucks it behind your ear for you and then kisses your cheek.

You swear your face is turning beet-red because he grins at you and says, "Want me to go get it for you? You look tired." He rubs one of the dark circles under your eyes, proof of the fact that you stayed up past midnight last night because you got engrossed in a book. Dave scolded you for it earlier, but then he kissed both your eyelids, hugged you, and rubbed your back. 

"Sure whatever," you answer him in a grumpy tone.

"As you wish my Queen," he replies as he stands up and makes his way to the lunch line. He's really doing this because he knows that you get tired quickly standing up for long periods of time. Dave really is the sweetest person you have ever met, but his stupid ironic way of acting pisses you off sometimes.

"Wow Karkat, I've never seen Dave be this nice and considerate before, and I've known him since we were babies," John says as he takes a bite of his sandwich.

"I agree with Johnathan," Rose says as she nods in John's direction, John just glares at her for using the smart-people version of his name, "You really are good for him Karkat, Dave was never the most...personable type, but now when he's around you his attitude completely changes. not to mention the fact that I have never seen him this devoted to someone in my entire life, I believe the kids called it 'being whipped' now a day."

"Yeah, yeah whatever," you mumble. Dave returns soon after with your food and you both start eating, enjoying a normal lunch with you friends, you and Dave's hands intertwined under the table. Yeah, life is pretty damn sweet right now.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've always wanted a relationship like the one I gave Dave and Karkat, I'm a super lonely ace person who has trouble with affection and most of my relationships don't last very long... Life sucks, so I write cute fanfics to make myself feel better. 
> 
> I feel bad that I took so long to update and finish this story, but as I have said I went through a rough time recently and it's left me kind of scarred to say the least, so now I'm in a fanfiction mood! Good for you guys right! 
> 
> Thank you all so very much for everyone who has supported this story, you guys are the best. I hope you stick around, read the other story that goes with this, and possibly a sequel to this story? 
> 
> As always comments and kudos are loved!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading comments and Kudos are loved!


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